About
I am a seasoned writer and speaker (far from perfect but always striving) whose work is inspired by a child-like faith, passion for fellowship, and a zest for fun. I’m grateful for the love and guidance of a supportive God who has helped me navigate life’s challenges, as well as the unwavering support of my family and friends. With over 30 years of experience in higher education and a strong background in volunteer leadership, I believe in the power of community and advocating for the marginalized. I pray my writing reflects my love for life.
Testimonials and more . . .
“Terri Kirby authentically combines a rare combination of observational humor, faith and her lived experience as a little person to create delightful and thoughtful opportunities for readers to reflect on their own life and perspective. I always look forward to seeing what Terri has to say on any subject. I can count on her humor to make me smile and her faith to give me hope. As a fellow life traveler who is a Little Person with disabilities, I wish we had more Terri’s in the world to shine a light on how we live, work and love in a manner that is real and not sappy. Thank you, Terri!” – Deborah Dagit, President, Deb Dagit Diversity LLC
“Terri Kirby authentically combines a rare combination of observational humor, faith and her lived experience as a little person to create delightful and thoughtful opportunities for readers to reflect on their own life and perspective. I always look forward to seeing what Terri has to say on any subject. I can count on her humor to make me smile and her faith to give me hope. As a fellow life traveler who is a Little Person with disabilities, I wish we had more Terri’s in the world to shine a light on how we live, work and love in a manner that is real and not sappy. Thank you, Terri!” – Angela Muir Van Etten, Author website: angelamuirvanetten.com
“Terri’s work is a tapestry of life’s ups and downs woven together with clever humor and godly wisdom. Terri is an advocate, an educator, and an encourager whose expression of gratitude resonates in her writing. You will find Terri’s writing to be honest, deeply touching, and relatable. You will chuckle. and maybe laugh out loud. as Terri takes you on a journey to grow closer to God.” – Susan Obarsky
“Since my meeting Terri Sowash Kirby and getting to know her through church and our mutual love for our Lord. I have been privileged to read many of Terri’s writings. Terri is a gifted writer. Her words will leave you feeling delighted and encouraged. She has a been an inspiration to me in my walk of faith. Terri has had some obstacles in her life but she has found a way to use them in a positive way. She may be small in stature but she is large as a witness for our Lord and lives as an example how to live a happy positive life.” – Valarie Easterbrook
“I love reading Terri’s work. What she shares are heartfelt personal stories of her experiences, yet in a relatable way for others to connect with her message. I appreciate the fact that I can always count on Terri’s words to be biblically sound and encouraging no matter what season I’m walking through myself. I know her goal is to help others through this thing called “life”, and I’m glad she shares hers with us.” – Edythe Brooks
“Terri truly writes from the heart and her heart is 100% guided by her faith. Over the years I’ve gained a lot from her encouraging posts and most recently her social media campaign to highlight one friend/acquaintance each week of the year asking all of us to pray together for this person. She’s inspiring in her daily works and writings all guided by her faith.” – Amy Hudkins
“I’m so inspired by you (Terri) and your beautiful writing. I am drawn closer to hear your message because I have a sister that I love, and she was born with multiple medical issues. Thank you for having a sense of humor and developing a way to share your journey with me and others. Keep planting seeds of faith in a field of doubt.” – Belinda Ross
MY FAITH JOURNEY...
I thank God for
coming into my heart as a child and staying with me through every challenge and
blessing. My faith journey began around age seven when I was saved at a
neighborhood Bible study. I learned early on that God loved me and made me just
as I am.
As a teen, I struggled with fitting in
and balancing my faith with the desire to blend in. I oscillated between
wanting to share my faith and not wanting to stand out more than I already did
as a little person, being three feet tall at the time and undergoing numerous orthopedic
surgeries and extended home-bound recoveries. Eventually, I started attending
youth groups and Christian events, deepening my relationship with God and
understanding my salvation.
Entering adulthood brought new
challenges as I navigated my roles in work, family, and church. I believed I
had to be perfect in all areas to please God and others. This led to exhaustion
and a sense of losing my purpose.
Gradually, I realized that my faith
wasn't about perfection but about having a personal relationship with Christ
and experiencing the joy He offers. I understood that God wants us to live
abundantly, using our gifts and serving others.
Now, my purpose is to write and
encourage others, helping them find joy, peace, and hope in their walk with
Christ. It's a continual learning process, and I invite you to join me in
discovering the rich and full life God has for us. He is always with us,
guiding us every step of the way.
I thank God for coming into my heart as a child and staying with me through every challenge and blessing. My faith journey began around age seven when I was saved at a neighborhood Bible study. I learned early on that God loved me and made me just as I am.
As a teen, I struggled with fitting in and balancing my faith with the desire to blend in. I oscillated between wanting to share my faith and not wanting to stand out more than I already did as a little person, being three feet tall at the time and undergoing numerous orthopedic surgeries and extended home-bound recoveries. Eventually, I started attending youth groups and Christian events, deepening my relationship with God and understanding my salvation.
Entering adulthood brought new challenges as I navigated my roles in work, family, and church. I believed I had to be perfect in all areas to please God and others. This led to exhaustion and a sense of losing my purpose.
Gradually, I realized that my faith wasn't about perfection but about having a personal relationship with Christ and experiencing the joy He offers. I understood that God wants us to live abundantly, using our gifts and serving others.
Now, my purpose is to write and encourage others, helping them find joy, peace, and hope in their walk with Christ. It's a continual learning process, and I invite you to join me in discovering the rich and full life God has for us. He is always with us, guiding us every step of the way.
MY WRITING JOURNEY...
My mission as a writer/speaker is to encourage others to live a happy and fulling life with Jesus. As John 10:10 says, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” God wants us to thrive, not just survive; and I want to inspire others to do so by finding and living out their purpose in life.
The 2019 pandemic was a challenge for everyone, right? We all faced new realities of illness, strong opinions, disagreements, and feeling as though our lives were spiraling out of control. My experience was no different. My views have since evolved, but at the beginning, I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to risk spreading the disease that media clearly explained was taking lives by the numbers. I did not think or realize the toles taken as a result of the lockdown, when we were required to stay home. I only later started to understand the dangers of isolation, especially, for example, for those in abusive situations who needed to escape to public places or children whose only meal and love were from their schools and teachers.
This was the time I started to hear a whisper from God to begin my call to writing. It started with posts to my personal Facebook page that resonated with family and friends. Then I started my Little Mama of Faith blog to encourage others and advocate for the marginalized, particularly little people. From there, I conducted fitness and prayer groups on zoom, published devotionals, and am now writing my first book, as well as building my confidence for public speaking through Toastmasters International, Inc.
God grew in me a desire to write and share stories, which then turned into an entire mission of encouraging others to find joy, peace, and hope in their lives, and to find and live in their individual purpose in life. I’m far from perfect or even consistent, being inspired one minute and stuck the next, but I praise God for this journey. Thank you for joining me for the ride.